Things & Stuff
This weekend we headed to west Texas for my baby, 2-year-old, tiny infant niece’s wedding. Okay, so she’s not an infant, she’s a woman now, but oh! How the time has flown by. I think I’m still in denial.
I didn’t get many photos of the actual wedding (you know since I was weeping and all), but look how beautiful and happy she looks:
It was sweet, and lovely, and lots of fun. And now she’s Mrs. Pierce. Sniff.
Congratulations, baby girl. You’ll always be my shoebox driver.
Hi! Today I give you a list of things I wanna buy.
I am still (grudgingly) keeping my promise that I WILL NOT buy a Fuji Instax (from Photojojo, of course) until I use up four packages of Polaroid film. I have not used up four packages. But I REALLY want the Instax! So, I’m carrying my Polaroid around from now on.
I’ve already bought a few of Abby’s prints, but this one is still on my to-buy list.
I also want the new Lines & Shapes book Sundays are for Lovers.
I want these, even though they’re not available in my size anymore.
I want one of these stamps for my snail mail.
I’ve been wanting these wrist worms forever, even though it’s far from winter here in Austin.
I reallllllly want this little purse.
And this little zine.
I would love to have this print.
And this raincloud.
I’m fairly certain I NEED this ring.
And I love these embroidery patterns.
Whew! I better start saving. 🙂
Okay, so it’s official. I have a new favorite cookbook: The Best Simple Recipes from America’s Test Kitchen. Everything I’ve made from it has been delicious, and fun and simple to prepare. We’ve tried:
Chicken tettrazini, posted here
Quick-pickled red onions for tacos, posted here
Skillet Chicken Tikka Masala
Lemon Chicken with Artichokes and Potatoes
Pasta with Sun-Dried Tomato Vodka Sauce
Every recipe has been really great. I highly recommend that you check it out! 🙂
A week or two ago, I decided to bake cheesecake. I’m really not a fan of cheesecake, (I know, I know), but Justin loves it, so I thought I’d try to make it with something I am a fan of: Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups. People, I LOVE peanut butter cups. And now they come in dark chocolate. I could eat them ALL DAY.
Anyway, I found the miniature versions and plopped them into muffin-cup-sized cheesecakes. Everyone at work seemed to enjoy them, and Justin liked them, and me? Well, I ate the peanut butter cups. 🙂
Mini Peanut Butter Cup Cheesecakes
Filling:
In a small bowl, combine the cracker crumbs, sugar and butter. Press into the bottom of 12 paper-lined muffin cups; set aside.
In a small bowl, beat the cream cheese, sugar and flour until smooth. Add egg and vanilla; beat on low speed just until combined. Place a peanut butter cup in the center of each muffin cup; fill with cream cheese mixture.
Bake at 350 for 15 – 18 minutes or until center is set. Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes before removing from pan to a wire rack to cool completely. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
Makes 12 mini-cheesecakes.
Adapted from Taste of Home summer desserts magazine.
On Friday night, we headed to Asti for dinner. We sat at the chef’s counter, my favorite spot in the restaurant. (Actually, I love to sit at the bar/counter at any restaurant.)
The caprese salad was unbelievable… the local heirloom tomatoes were so gorgeous.
We loved the stuffed mushrooms, full of goat cheese, ricotta, pecorino romano and sage, with fried breadcrumbs and truffle oil. Mmmm.
I chose the pasta special… fresh pasta with roasted chicken and a creamy sauce with fried sage… I don’t remember the details, but I was amazed at how tasty the chunks of chicken were. And I do love fresh pasta.
Justin chose the pappardelle with lamb sugo, mint, chile oil and ricotta salata. So. Good.
For dessert, I had the special… peaches with vanilla zabaglione and crushed amaretti cookies. I wanted the peaches to be more ripe and sweet, but it was still good.
Justin had the affugato with warm beignets. I realized that it’s basically coffee just the way I like it… with lots of cream and sugar, and not too hot. (Note to self: put ice cream in my coffee every morning from now on. What? It would be so delicious! You know you wanna do it, too.) And with those perfect cinnamon sugar donuts… aaaah, it was good.
Everything was delicious, and it was great to see our Asti friends.
